


Hidden

by FakeCirilla9



Category: Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:34:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21826006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FakeCirilla9/pseuds/FakeCirilla9
Summary: Somewhat prolonged scene of the events from behind a waterfall
Relationships: Alice Munro/Uncas, Nathaniel "Natty" Bumppo/Cora Munro
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	Hidden

**Author's Note:**

  * For [leigh57](https://archiveofourown.org/users/leigh57/gifts).



> Beta'ed by [Sidomira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sidomira/profile). Thanks a lot! This wouldn't have existed without you.
> 
> Warning: here is canonical character death, but it is only mentioned in the beginning, so I hope I'm not breaking rules of DNWs with it. Perhaps I could go with a fix-it arc, but I felt like it would change too much of the plot. I always have trouble staying in the requested safe zone, when canon is anything but it...

The silver wall of water glimmered in the moonshine; the hum of its fall induced drowsiness despite the humidity and chill in the air. Everyone around Cora seemed fast asleep: she could feel the steady rise and fall of Nathaniel's chest beside her, Duncan snored a little, and Chingachgook was out of sight. Alice laid curled up against Uncas and Cora thought them both asleep, until she saw the Mohican's hand petting her sister's blond hair. At that simple, caring gesture Cora felt a twinge. She meant to protect her and she did shield her from news of their father's death, but Alice was hardly unaffected by all that befallen them in a short time of the recent days. Perhaps she even suspected their father's fate.

Cora made to move up, decided to go soothe her little sister, but a strong hand around her waist stopped her. She turned back to look at completely awakened Nathaniel.

"Leave her. She's in good hands," he said and not for the first time Cora wondered briefly if being raised by Indians made him able to see more than people usually did. Sometimes he seemed to be capable of reading in thoughts.

"I thought you were asleep," Cora said.

He smiled. "Someone needs to keep watch."

"I should go to her." 

"You should rest."

"You don't understand. She- Alice was scared even in the fort. And since the ambush... I haven't seen her like that. She doesn't sleep, doesn't speak to me. It's not only worry, she's growing ill from all this."

She spoke quietly and the fall of the water drowned her words before they could reach Alice if she even listened. Some drops of water landed on Cora's shoulder where her robe had slipped off and she shivered, suddenly realizing how cold it was, when she wasn't snuggled up against Nathaniel. 

He must have noticed the tremor, because he opened his arms invitingly. "Come here."

She listened to him, laying back against his chest. Though still watching Alice warily, Cora instantly felt safer, cradled in his sure grip. His body heat warmed her, sipping through the thin materials that separated them. The embrace felt like she could forget all the dangers for a moment, like he would protect her from all the evil. It felt like home.

Nathaniel drew her damp tangled hair out of the way and whispered to her ear.

"See? It's better already. You need to rest yourself. You won't help your sister when you strain yourself too much."

"But she's mine responsibility. Not Uncas', not any of you. After father... she has only me. I can't be that egoistical as to abandon her."

"I'm not asking you to do such a thing. But she's not alone. And Uncas is not doing it out of pity."

Cora frowned a bit. 

"I'm asking you to have trust in us. Mohicans can protect people not only from their enemies, but also from their own harmful ways. Alice only needs to feel safe, and loved, and she will be all right. Just as you do."

Nathaniel stroked Cora's hair as he said so, and she felt herself relaxing more and more into his touch. 

"You don't need to face everything alone. Share your burden. It doesn't make you weak, it makes you wise. Chingachgook's tribe... _my_ people, they know cures for many sicknesses that attack white people: for greed, for corruption, for sorrow..."

His voice was calming and Cora found herself wanting to listen to the cadence more.

"Do you think she will be all right? Truly?"

"Just look at them."

Cora did.

Eyes long used to the dark could easily make out the silhouettes alighted by faint moon glow that seeped through the veil of water to their hiding place. Unkas held motionless now, too still for a sleep and Alice had her head propped on one of his shoulders. It took Cora a second to realize she did actually fell asleep. Unkas hold her with utmost care, like she was a fragile, breakable thing. But even if she was so, it looked like nothing could harm her as long as she had her guarding angel in him.

This time Cora felt her throat going tight. She thought of all the times in the fort, when she tried and failed to calm Alice enough to rest despite the noise. If not attacking charge, then meddling of ignorant or good-intentioned people made that impossible. Cora had been forced to watch as her sister fades, day after day becoming paler and weaker like a shadow of her old self until she resembled a ghost more than a human being. Now seeing the picture of the moment's peace brought to Cora's mind other scenes like that: of the attentive stare here and a little help there while mounting a horse, and she thought she must have been blind not noticing it earlier. The notion was not irksome but hopeful. For now Cora realized that each of those times Alice seemed a bit livelier, a touch of color returned to her cheeks and a spark to her eyes. Cora thought that as long as those two had each other, nothing bad would happen to them.

She did not dare to speak audibly again in fear of rousing Alice from the much needed sleep. Instead, Cora squeezed Nathaniel's hand in a silent gesture of delight and, temporary at least, relief.

She felt like she could pass all her thoughts just as easily as her words to Nathaniel, like they shared some special connection on an emotional level. And perhaps they did for Nathaniel returned the squeeze and Cora thought she could feel his gladness in it. 

Nathaniel bent his head and kissed her in the hair, just behind her ear. Cora huddled to his warmth and closing her eyes finally for the night she thought of nothing but cozy sensations that surrounded her. And she let herself stopped worrying for a time being and be drowned into the melodious, monotonic hum of the waterfall, which put to sleep like the best of lullabies. 

It was a first from many in recent times night without dreams, untouched by the memories of lived-through nightmares. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope my Recipient liked it. Soft & adorable are not exactly my fields, but I tried ;)


End file.
